BLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech men's basketball team embarks on a three-game road swing beginning Wednesday night at NC State. It's the first of three games in six days for the Hokies, who are coming off their first win in ACC play.
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Wednesday, January 19 | 7:00 p.m. ET
PNC Arena (Raleigh, N.C.)
at NC State
Series: NC State leads 41-18
Game Notes: Virginia Tech | NC State
TV Broadcast
ACC Network
Play-by-Play: Jay Alter
Analyst: Malcolm Huckaby
Local Radio
Virginia Tech Sports Network
Play-by-Play: Tim Bickford
Analyst: Mike Burnop
THE SERIES
- NC State snapped Tech's three-game win streak in the series with its 68-63 win in Blacksburg on Jan. 4.
- Tech won the last matchup in Raleigh, 47-24, on Feb. 2, 2019. In that game, the Hokies held NC State to 16.7 percent shooting - the lowest mark in ACC history. The 24 points scored by the Wolfpack were the fewest scored by a Division I team in the last 10 years.
- The Hokies will be looking for their first back-to-back wins in Raleigh since 2009- 11 seasons.
A WIN WOULD...
- Give the Hokies their first road win in league play this season. They totaled three ACC wins on the road in 2020-21.
- Level Coach Young's career record against the Wolfpack to 3-3.
- Keep NC State winless at home in league play (0-3 entering Wednesday's game).
- Improve Tech to 3-3 on the road this season.
HOKIE HEADLINES
- Tech shot a season-high 59.2 percent from the field (29-49) vs. Notre Dame. Beyond the arc, the Hokies shot 50 percent (10-20), which is the second-highest number of the year. Saturday's game marked the second time Virginia Tech shot 50 percent or higher in both categories (Cornell).
- Justyn Mutts and Nahiem Alleyne both scored season highs and accounted for 58.2 percent of Tech's scoring.
- Saturday was the second time two Hokies scored 20-plus points in the same game this season (Aluma and Mutts at Duke).
- Wednesday's game is the start of a three games in five days road swing for the Hokies. Tech also faces Boston College (Jan. 22) and UNC (Jan. 24) away from Cassell Coliseum.
THAT'S A BUCKET
- When asked what he thought about Nahiem Alleyne's 3-point attempt with 3:45 left vs. Notre Dame after he passed out of a double-team, Justyn Mutts assuredly said, "That's a bucket."
- Tech was clinging to a three-point advantage before Alleyne drilled his fourth 3-ball of the night. It was a welcomed sight to see for a guy who has struggled as of late.
- Alleyne finished with a season-high 22 points - his second 20-point outing of the season, but first double-digit effort since Dec. 8 vs. Cornell (13 points).
MUTTS-SEE TV
- Justyn Mutts is one of the most dynamic players on the Tech roster. That was on full display vs. the Irish where Mutts dialed up a season-high 24 points. It tied for the most points he's scored in a Tech uniform (3/11/21 vs. North Carolina).
- However, rewind to Wednesday when he finished the UVA game with two points on 1-2 shooting, that didn't sit well with Coach Young.
- The two met prior to Thursday's (1/13) practice where Young asked Mutts what he needed of his head coach and what he could do to get Mutts going. "He's a terrific passer and he becomes so set in that and making the right pass instead of [having the mindset of] lay your ears back and go play," Young offered.
- In other words, when Mutts is the aggressor and more assertive, good things happen like Saturday night.